HILLSBORO - A man was sentenced last week to four years in prison for killing his neighbor's cat.

A Jefferson County jury on Sept. 26 convicted Grieg Ragen, 55, of felony animal abuse involving torture in the death of Molly, an 11-year-old calico cat.

The four-year sentence was imposed by Circuit Judge Troy Cardona, and was the maximum punishment allowed by law.

Ragen, whose most current address is the first block of South Drive in the Franklin County community of Villa Ridge, told authorities that he had "put the cat out of its misery" on May 8, 2012, according to the probable cause statement.

He said he stuck the cat with a hatchet after the cat had been hit by a car in the 6200 block of Antire Road in High Ridge.

But a veterinarian found that the cat's only injury was a severed spine and no other signs of trauma.

"I can't tell you how pleased I was when I saw the deputies handcuff him and take away," said Jean Woolery, director of the Jefferson County Humane Society. She attended the sentencing and has been helping the cat's owner, Lin Chen.